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Upper Labial Tie=Shallow Latch=Vasospasms!

My son was diagnosed at 8 weeks with a thick upper labial frenulum after three LC visits, a trip to the ER, a visit to the OB, nipple shields, APNO, early mastitis.....I could go on and ON! Anyway, the ENT said to leave it alone and quit breastfeeding. Needless to say, we then went to a pediatric dentist. Baby has a surgery (frenectomy) scheduled for the 9th of August. It is my hope, and that of the dentist, that releasing the lip will allow for a proper latch and we will be able to ditch the nipple shields and get rid of the incredible pain my nipples have been enduring (24/7- not just during feeds). Questions for the forum are:
1) have you done the surgery with your LO's?
2) did it improve baby's latch?
3) did the pain subside?
4) if experienced them, did the vasospasms clear up once the latch issue was corrected?
I have 2.5 weeks to go until surgery with shields (he refuses to even go near the breast without them) and/or pumping and I'm afraid by the time he gets the lip tie fixed he will be too old to reform his latch!!!

Re: Upper Labial Tie=Shallow Latch=Vasospasms!

I don't know much about tongue ties, but I just want to encourage you to keep on! Many moms have had to use shields for much longer than they intended, and most of them eventually get their babies to latch and nurse without them. A baby's latch changes a lot just through growth- a bigger mouth can latch on way more deeply than a small one.

Re: Upper Labial Tie=Shallow Latch=Vasospasms!

1. We didn't have surgery, but we did have his frenulum snipped at 6 weeks and 2 days of age. They wanted to do it under anesthesia because he was over 6 weeks old, but we pretty much begged the doc to do it in the office...
2. It definitely improved his latch. No more clicking...
3. The pain subsided basically immediately. I have been painlessly nursing him since July 11th. I put him to my breast immediately after the procedure and it was a night-and-day difference.
4. I'm not sure what a vasospasm is, so I guess I didn't experience them!

Good luck! I had a difficult time BFing just like you, with shields and mastitis, etc. It can be done, no matter what! Keep your chin up. August 9th will be here before you know it and you'll be nursing your LO with no shield

There are three reasons for breast-feeding: the milk is always at the right temperature; it comes in attractive containers; and the cat can't get it. ~Irena Chalmers